Way of a Rider
by Ryft Darkpaw
Summary: This is a story of the land Beyond the Beor mountains. humans and elves joined by others roam this land of an ancient magic. What will happen when Eragon Learns of it and comes to find out what might be there?
1. Chapter 1: Ambushed

***disclaimer* so far, everything in this is owned by **_**me **_**& no one else**

**A/N: this is supposedly taking place a little after the fourth book of the series, (yeah I know it's not out yet) and is my idea of what's going to happen after the series ends, it is set far to the southeast of Alagaesia in a land known as Ansteir. Enjoy!**

**Huge thanks goes out to Given_Inside for working with me on this series…You're amazing man!**

"Blast it Dax, I told you we shouldn't have come here!"

_Hey, it was your genius idea Fere! _A green dragon swooped through the dry desert air, causing a hail of black arrows to fly past him. _Let's go to the desert, you said. It'll be perfectly safe, you said. IS IT, NOW?!_

Fereno, the dragon rider otherwise known as Fere, brought his sword up to block a slash from the closest of the beastly Torms. The rider had been separated from his dragon, pulled away by a legion of the gruesome creatures. He was trapped; ambushed by a countless horde of beasts never before seen. They stood on two legs like he did, but their skin was hairy and horns rested on top of their heads. He then raised his hand beneath his sword and yelled, "Undil!" The Torm disappeared in an explosion and flew back over his comrade's horned heads. The remainder of the war troop hesitated, then continued trying to overwhelm the tall dark haired elf. Brandishing his shadowy green blade, Fereno's mind raced as he danced around the vain attempts to wound him. Every one of his thoughts lead him to only one outcome: escape. They had to leave, now. Throwing his mind out to his dragon, he called him over. _Dax, we have to get out of here, fast._

_Are you sure? I thought maybe we could stay a bit longer and convince them to have tea with us._

Fereno grinned at his dragon's sarcasm as he slashed through the torso of yet another gruesome creature. The green dragon dove down next to him and released a jet of fire from his maw, bathing the Torms in a green-tinted flame. Fereno ran over to Dax, but was cut off by more adversaries trying to keep the Rider from escaping. Without breaking stride, he executed a mighty leap, performing a single somersault over the dumbfounded creatures' heads. He landed perfectly on his dragon's back and dropped into the saddle as Dax veered away from the mass of screaming monstrosities.

The elf sheathed his sword on his back and straightened his quiver, brushing off the gore and grime that had accumulated on his tunic. _So, where is the wind taking us this time, my friend?_

The reply was left void of its usual joking tone and had an edge of excitement in it. _Where we haven't been in over eight years; home._

Home. The one word inspired so many feelings inside of him that had been forgotten or buried underneath the trials of his training and adventures. Mother, Danmír, Andrew, Sarah…all the people he had left behind when he had set out for the elves; he could see them again. Suddenly remembering what some of the village elders thought of dragons, he quickly conveyed an image of a familiar forest clearing for them to camp in to Dax. _We should stay here for the night, it's getting late and to drop in to visit Mom so late would be rude._

_I agree. The sun has already dropped below the horizon and my wings are weary. Let us stop there and rest._

Another hour passed before they came to the specified clearing. They landed and Fereno began to gather wood for a fire. Once he had a nice small blaze going, he settled down against his dragon's side and began to store some of his reserves of strength in the jewels that adorned both his scabbard and sword pommel, the gems taking in the vast amounts of energy he and Dax contributed easily, despite the incredible amounts already contained within them. As he the reviewed in his head his entire knowledge of Runic, the language of magic, Dax spoke to him in a mystified voice.

_Do you realize where we are?_

He glanced around the dark forest, his eyes taking in the faintly charred bottom portion of it. Plants and underbrush had begun to sprout up again, claiming life once more in the presence of death. It was then when he came to his realization. He looked into his dragon's eyes and said, _This is where I found your egg isn't it? I can't believe that you somehow came to be resting right here, as if you were waiting for me._

Dax curled his tail around his Rider and nuzzled the elf's arm. _I was waiting for you, even though I didn't know it. And I've never been happier with a choice in my entire life._

_Neither have I, friend. Neither have I. _Fereno scratched the soft scales at the corner of his Dax's mouth, drawing a hum of contentment from the dragon.

Dax covered his Rider with a wing, signifying that they should sleep. _Sleep well, little one._

They drifted off into slumber, unaware of what lay ahead of them.

Fereno awoke and immediately regretted his desert escapade even more when he felt his sore, stiff limbs. He rolled out from underneath Dax's wing and struggled to his feet. As he began to stretch, though, his aching muscles started to loosen and soon he was back to his normal, spry self.

_Come on Dax, I know you're awake. We should head over to our house. If I remember correctly, she's about to leave for town._

The large green dragon shifted slightly and then rose to stand beside the elf. _Do we have to walk?_

Fereno chuckled and strode out of the forest clearing and down a short path that lead to the small home on the far outskirts of Dao that he had once shared with his mother, Andrea, and his brother, Danmir. He walked up to the small wooden house and knocked on the door. He could hear his mother talking to Danmír inside and smiled as she opened the door.

"Dan, I'm heading into town to get some…" Her voice trailed off when she saw Fereno, immediately recognizing who he was despite the changes he had gone through over the eight years that he was gone. "It can't be," she gaped at him. "We thought you were dead. But here you are…" Still in shock, she turned back to the house. "Dan, come here. There's someone you should see."

Fereno's younger brother Danmír appeared at the door beside his mother. His face grew pale when he saw Fereno and he rasped out, "Who's this?"

Fereno took a step back and gasped in mock surprise. "That hurts Dan. How can you forget your own brother?"

A smile worked its way across Dan's face and he ran over and crushed his brother in a hug. "Fere! What happened to you? Where were you for the last eight years? Why do you look like an elf?"

Fereno patted the kid on his head and slowly pushed him away. "Calm down Dan. Before I personally answer any questions, I have something to show you that may answer all of them." Right on cue, Dax strode around the house and stood behind Fereno. "Mom, Dan, this is my dragon, Daxxon."

Daxxon projected his voice into their minds. _It's nice to meet you; Fere has told me much about you._

Andrea nodded. "Pleased to meet you as well. I've never met a dragon before."

Dan just had a strange grin plastered on his face. "That does answer some of my questions but also raises so many more."

Fereno placed a hand on Dan's shoulder. "Wait until later tonight, I'm gonna tell you where I've been and what I've been doing. But now I was going to go see some others in town. What did you need Mom?"

"We needed some meat and I was going to ask if Andrew and Sarah would join us for dinner."

Fereno smiled and said, "Perfect I can get them here, I was planning on visiting them anyway. I'll be back for dinner with company."

They turned back inside and closed the door behind them, leaving Fereno on the porch. He pulled on a wool cap and ran down the road into Dao. It wasn't far to Andrew the blacksmith's house, and he stopped in front of the ornate wooden door. He remembered seeing Garth carve it for them as a wedding gift ten years ago. He knocked once and Andrew's wife, Sarah, quickly answered the door.

"Hello there! Come in, come in. Do you have business with Andrew today?"

Fereno nodded. "You could say that, yes."

Sarah froze in her tracks and turned to face him with a studious gaze. "Wait a minute, I know your voice. It's been years but I still recognize it. Fereno? My goodness you've grown. How are you? Oh my, it's almost lunch! You must be hungry. Why don't you stay and eat with us. No no, I insist. I'll get Andrew. He'll be happy to see you."

As she hurried out of the room, Fereno heard Daxxon's chuckle echo through his mind. _Is she always this…talkative?_

_Oh yeah, every day._ Sarah returned, half dragging Andrew behind her. A glint of doubt was in his eye, but it vanished when he saw Fereno standing in his living room.

A minute passed as the looked over each other, Fereno noticing the blacksmith's apron and gloves, still dirty from working the forge and Andrew taking in the Elven made tunic on Fere. The blacksmith burst into a smile and clasped Fereno's hand in a hearty shake. "It's good to see you again, my boy. And here we thought you were never coming back. Come, join us for lunch."

"I wouldn't want to impose."

Andrew snorted. "Impose nothing. It's our treat."

"Then I must extend the same invitation to you from my mother. It would be our honor to have you at our home for supper tonight."

They adjourned to the dining table and Sarah brought out a small platter of fish.

Andrew told many stories about some of his more interesting clients as they ate and the time flew by. After thanking them for the meal, Fereno excused himself, saying, "I must be going. Thank you again for lunch and I hope you can join us tonight."

Sarah nodded. "Of course we will. See you then!"

Fereno left the blacksmith's house and spent the next few hours making short visits to old friends before he noticed the dimming light. Remembering his mother's other request, he quickly made his way to the butcher's shop and purchased two prime cuts of meat.

Running back home took very little time and he arrived at the house just as the sun was setting. When he entered, he found his mother in the kitchen with a pot of stew hanging over the cook fire. She looked up at him and said, "You're back. Did you get the meat?"

He nodded and unwrapped the product. She smiled as she took it from him and began to season it for the meal. He left the house and took a walk around the forest outside.

_Dax, where'd you go?_

_Hey, I've got to eat too you know._ The green dragon flew over head and landed just past the tree line.

Fereno ran up to him and laid a hand on his shoulder. _How did it go? _

Daxxon licked one of his claws idly. _I caught two young bucks. They were delicious._

The elf smiled at him. _Good for you Dax. Dinner is almost ready, and when we're done, I'm gonna bring them out here to tell them of our adventures. Sound good?_

Daxxon yawned and stalked off to lie in the space between the house and the forest. _Whatever floats your boat._

Fereno shook his head and walked back to the house. He spotted Andrew and Sarah entering the house and he came in right behind them.

After greetings were made, they sat around the table and ate. Idle conversation passed the time during dinner and once the food was gone, Fereno invited them outside for a story.

He led them out of the house and over to Dax. He sat next to the dragon and motioned the others to sit opposite him. He spoke softly the word, "Lünd," and a light appeared on the ground between them. Ignoring their shocked expressions, he closed his eyes and began his tale.

He started with a brief history of the dragons and slowly transitioned into his finding of Daxxon's egg in the forest. He told them of raising Daxxon in secret and of his first experience riding the dragon. He then flew to the elves to find a teacher as the legends he knew so well had described the Riders of old had done. He had met another Rider, Kírinare, and learned from him for seven years. With his instruction complete, he traveled Ansteir, searching for answers to the questions that his mentor could not answer. His first destination was the desert, as he had not expected to be ambushed by the beastly Torms. After escaping them, he had come home.

His tale complete, he opened his eyes to see four separate looks of awe and shock. His mother regained her composure first and whispered, "You really have grown."

He answered with a smirk and said, "Yes, but I haven't outgrown sleep, and it is late. Mom, I will stay out here with Dax tonight. Andrew, Sarah, I'm glad I could see you again, and good night." He extinguished the light and let them find their way back to the house. He unbuckled his sword from his back and strapped it to the saddle before lying down against Daxxon's side again. _We're finally home Dax._

Daxxon once again curled around his Rider and heaved a sigh of comfort._ But for how long?_

_Until we must leave, but that's not tonight. Sleep well my friend._ He gazed up at the stars until sleep overtook him.


	2. Chapter 2: To the Elves!

**Okay, chapter two is here and the first of the plot twist comes into play. Given, thanks again but this one was for my eyes only as will the next. Even so it should still be good and I hope you enjoy it.**

The next morning, Fereno awoke with the usual stiffness in his limbs gone. Despite that, he still went through his normal stretches, his body responding even better that morning than the day before. As he returned to Daxxon, he lowered the barriers around his mind and let it drift across the field. To his surprise, he came in contact with the bright flame of his brother's thoughts and he glanced around to see the boy leaning against a tree on the edge of the forest path. Smiling warmly at Dan, he called out, "Good morning Dan! What brings you out this early?"

Dan halfheartedly returned the smile and called back, "You've changed so much…" his voice lowered to a whisper but Fereno was able to catch what he said due to his heightened sense of hearing. "I just wish I could too…"

Fereno walked over to his brother and placed a hand on his shoulder. He spoke in a soothing voice and made an offer, trying to placate Dan in his dismay. "Dan, if you really want to change like I have…well, Kírinare taught me a way to determine if a person has magical potential or not and if you want, I could…"

Dan's face lit up in joy and he asked, "Oh, could you? That would make me so happy!"

"Okay but you need to calm down and settle your thoughts. This may hurt a little but I'll be as gentle as I can." He closed his eyes and concentrated, delving into the consciousness of his sibling with great care. Without causing unneeded discomfort, he searched Dan's mind for the telltale marks of a dormant magical power. Much to his surprise, he found a strong barrier in his brother's mind and he felt the magic flowing beyond it. Retracting his mental probe, he stood speechless before Dan. Once he found his voice again, he assumed a serious tone and looked his brother in the eye.

"Dan, this may be a shock to you, but you have the ability to use magic proficiently, given the right training." As soon as the word "magic" was out of his mouth, a smile leapt to Dan's face, brightening his expression. "Now, this is unexpected, but I do have the capacity to train you. However, I know that Kírinare could definitely do a better job. If it's alright with mom, we could take you to live with us back in Kothvír."

Dan immediately dashed to the house and disappeared within its walls, only to reappear seconds later with their mother behind him. She looked very confused.

Dan came to a stop in front of Fereno and Andrea put her hands on her hips. "What's this he's telling me about elves and magic?" she queried.

Fereno cleared his throat. "Well, I have discovered that Dan has the ability to use magic and I offered to take him to the elves to learn from Kírinare."

"So you're just going to leave me here alone?" A sly glint came into her eyes.

This caught Fereno off guard. "Well, no…I mean, um, if you want…you could come too," he stammered out.

A smile covered up the mischievous expression on her face and she replied, "That's so nice of you to ask. Of course I'll go with you, it sounds like fun. So, when do we leave?"

"As soon as you two are ready I guess. The elves can provide most of the essentials that you might need so pack light. Dax will thank you." The Rider crossed his arms and watched as his family returned to their house to gather their things. A stray thought passed his mind and he crossed the field to Dax, snatching his sword off the saddle and buckling it onto his back. He also took out an object wrapped in cloth and held it tenderly in his grasp. He slowly unwrapped the cloth, revealing a pure white scabbard decorated with a scale-like laceration up the middle. Smiling in remembrance of his friend's blade, he rewrapped the object and tied back to the saddle. His dragon felt his memories and rubbed his rider's arm with his snout._ You are thinking of them again. _

_I can't help it, they were very close to us. _He gazed into the northwest. _Stay strong Kirea. Fly well Remare._ He bowed his head and turned to see Dan and his mother returning. "Are you all set?" they showed two small leather packs and Fereno tied them to Dax's saddle. "After you." The elf stepped aside and let his mother mount Dax first, followed by Dan. The grace at which Andrea(A/N: in case you forgot, Fere's mother's name) had ascended to the saddle. He took a seat behind her and patted Dax on the shoulder.

_Hold on! _He launched into the air and drove his wings downward, propelling them into the air. He swung his body around to head for the ancient forests and plains of the elves. As they flew, Fereno once again reached into Dan's mind and searched for the power that he had found earlier. Once he located it, he broke down the barrier holding it back and let it flow through his younger brother's consciousness.

_Dan, I have released the magic within you. This is now your first lesson. Try to submerge yourself in its flow and redirect it to your will._ He felt Dan easily find the river of power and dive in, controlling it with incredible dexterity. _Well done! Next, some boundaries. First, your ability is not only limited to your strength, but also what you know of Runic, the language of magic in Ansteir. I will be teaching you the basic words as we travel. Second, since magic takes energy, you can kill yourself if a task is too great. Some things are not even possible no matter how much power you have. Raising the dead is the primary example of that. It is not possible, so do not attempt it. Once we reach Kothvír, Kírinare will give you more instructions regarding what you can and cannot do. For now, do not do anything with magic unless instructed by me. Now let's begin learning Runic. The word for fire is orlados. The word for water is cinné. Earth is antu. Air is…_

It continued in this manner until they stopped for the night and then restarted the next day until they landed in Kothvír. Fereno stretched out his mind to Kírinare.

_Yes, young rider, how can I help you?_

_Master, I have discovered incredible magical potential and I am bringing him to you for training._

_How convenient, I have an assignment for you as well. Aleya will be waiting at my home to escort your family to their living quarters._

_Very well. I will see you again soon, Master._

They broke the link and Dax soon arrived at the plains where his master lived. As soon as they landed, an elf amid with long brown hair and hazel eyes stepped out from the dwelling and greeted them. "Welcome to Kothvír, family of Fereno. My name is Aleya. I am to show you to your home while you stay with us. Come." All three climbed down from Dax's back; Andrea and Dan left with Aleya while Fereno walked into the small dwelling. Inside was a cozy den, complete with a single bed and a fireplace. Sitting up at a desk was an elf with silvery hair and eyes of blue. He wore a plain brown cloak with ranger boots. He looked up from the scroll he was reading and smiled.

"Fereno, young friend, are you ready for your assignment?"

Fereno bowed gravely before smiling himself. "I am, Master. What do you have for me this time?"

"Young rider, the time has come for us to rebuild the riders." Fereno's eyes widened in shock. "Vorand has already contacted the wild dragons and they have agreed to help us. Talon is their leader at the time and he will be the one you talk to. They are providing three eggs for us if and only if the messenger, which would be you, speaks the ancient blessing over the eggs in their sight. Before you go, I shall teach you the ancient blessing."

For the next half hour, Kírinare schooled Fereno in the words used to bless the eggs properly. He drilled every syllable into the young rider's mind so that he would not mispronounce a single word. After making sure that Fereno was ready, Kírinare bade him farewell as he departed from the house. He ran over to his dragon and jumped to the saddle. _Let's fly, Dax!_

He took off and flew as speedily as he could towards the mountains were the wild dragons meet. They made half of the trip that day. The next day held a fateful meeting for someone they knew well.

**Well I'm pretty sure none of you saw that coming, but there is more that will occur, Dan is….well let's just save that for later. Until then enjoy! Hopefully chapter three will be up tomorrow, but no promises. I got a long day of flying so I don't know what I can do to speed this along. y'all come back now, ya hear?  
**

**Laters!**


	3. Chapter 3: Dragons All Around

**As this moves on, you may begin to wonder, "Where's Eragon and Saphira? When do they come into play?" Well just be patient, I had to modify this story just for you guys so it will take some time. I can promise you this though, it will be soon. Enjoy the surprise! There are many more to come…**

They awoke the next morning and traveled the remaining distance, arriving in the mountain meeting point around noon. As they approached the forested plateau, they noticed a single white dragon standing in the clearing. As Fereno dismounted his dragon, he felt the eyes of countless others boring into his body, each one scrutinizing him as either a meal or a potential threat. He stepped forward to the line of three eggs placed before him.

_Are you the one Vorand spoke of?_

"I am." Fereno nodded.

_Show us your hand._

Fereno raised his right hand to reveal the silvery oval in the center and a strange symbol in the same silver color beneath it on his wrist.

_Very well rider, speak the blessing and be gone._

Fereno placed his hands over the three eggs and began to chant the words he had been taught the previous day. As he finished his incantation, he felt a large amount of energy leave him as the dragons inside the eggs were altered to hatch for their rider. He pulled out three velvet bags; one for each of the eggs and placed them tenderly inside. The eggs disappeared into the bags; one of black, one of gold, and one of white. He tied the bags containing the black and gold onto the saddle but kept the one with the white in his arms as he mounted his dragon. _Before I go, I was told that your name is Talon. Is this true?_

The dragon lifted its lips in a feral smile. _That it is, rider. Do not forget it._

_Farewell, Talon._ Dax crouched and then launched into the air, speeding them towards home with every beat of his massive green wings. Fereno still held the white egg in his lap. _Rem…_

_They are not dead, little one. They told us that they would come back eventually. Why do you continue to treat them as if they were gone? I sense that they will be returning soon._

_Are you sure? I wish it was sooner._ Fereno sighed.

Dax chuckled. _You act like your in love...you aren't are you? _Fereno glared at him. _I'm just fooling. They were good friends. It will be nice to see them again._

They flew the remainder of the day in silence, catching a fortunate tail wind that carried them back to Kothvír that night. The sun had just set and Fereno jumped off of Dax in front of Kírinare's dwelling place. His silver dragon, Vorand, was resting outside. Fereno took the eggs off the saddle and carried them inside to his master. He looked up from his scrolls again and rushed to take the eggs from his student. "Well done, young rider. This will mean the continuation of our order." He chuckled. "And I have come up with a schedule for your brother. You are to bring him here every morning exactly two hours after sunrise. I will contact you when we finish. But don't think that you get to do nothing." He shook his head. "No, I have found a student for you as well. Do you remember young Skiadem?"

Fereno nodded with a smile. "Of course! He's a good kid." He paused. "Does that mean that he will be presented to the eggs as well?"

The elder elf nodded. "Yes they both shall be. I have great faith in your brother. He seems quite at ease around dragons. He would make an excellent rider."

"Well, I must be going. Dax and I have had a long day and we need our rest. Do Dan and Skiadem know of the schedule?"

Kírinare laughed. "I'm counting on them to keep you to it!"

Fereno joined him in the laughter and then said goodnight. He climbed onto his dragon and they flew to a hut situated in the roots of an incredibly huge tree. Dax landed and walked through the gigantic opening as Fereno slid down his dragon's forearm onto the ground as they entered the large room. The green dragon lay down upon a pad in the corner and his rider stumbled over to him and fell against his side. _I'm beat, today was exciting._

Dax yawned and curled around his rider. _But think of what could happen now. Dan could become a rider just like you! I wonder what the dragons who hatch will be like…_

Fereno was hit once more with Dax's overwhelming sense of loneliness. He rubbed his marked palm across his dragon's side, getting a shiver from the green dragon at the touch. _Don't worry, my friend. You will find another dragon in time. The day will come…_

_I just wish it were sooner. _Fereno smiled at the repeated words and closed his eyes for rest.

He awoke to Dax whispering in his mind, _Wake up sleepy rider. Dan and Skiadem are here. It's time to go._

The elf stood up and stretched his arms out over his head. He looked out the door and saw two boys standing in the arched entryway with their arms crossed over their chests. He smiled and asked, "I guess you two are ready to go?"

They both nodded. Dax stood up as well and all three got onto his back. He walked out the door and launched himself into the air, his powerful wings stroking the air in flight. As they flew, Fereno greeted the young elf boy in front of him. "Hey Skiadem, how's it going?"

Without turning, the brown haired lad answered. "I'm good, Fere. Just anxious, I guess. Kírinare told me about your assignment, plus I'm nervous about starting my training with you."

Fereno patted him on the shoulder. "I'll go easy on you the first day."

They landed once more outside the home of the elder rider, Kírinare, and dropped to the ground from Dax's shoulders. Vorand was lying underneath a tree, tearing at the bloody haunch of a deer carcass. Skiadem grimaced at the sight and walked into the dwelling behind Dan. Once all three were inside, Kírinare appeared before them from another room.

"So, you are here. Come, we have much to do." He led them to the room he had been previously in. In this room there was naught but a low table and a tall closet. Nestled carefully on velvet cushions were the three eggs that Fereno had retrieved from the wild dragons the day before. Kírinare smiled at them. "We shall find out if either of you two younglings are destined to be a rider. Dan you shall present yourself before each of the three eggs in turn to see if the dragons inside choose you. Skiadem, You shall do the same."

The young elf did not hear him. His attention was focused on the golden egg resting between the other two. Drawn to the egg by some mysterious force, he slowly approached it with an outstretched arm. The very moment he touched its shell, a quiet squeak was heard from within. It began rocking violently back and forth and a crack formed on straight down the middle of the shell. The egg fell apart and in its place stood a small golden dragon.

**Sorry that this one is short, lost a bit in translation. More to come soon**

**Well now, I feel sorry for Dan; no dragon for him. Time's gonna pass quickly in the next few chapters and it will not be as eventful as you may like, but pay attention to them! They are quite important. Y'all come back now ya hear?**

**LATERS!**


	4. Chapter 4: The New Rider

**Well as I said, this chapter will be pretty boring, but it is sorely needed. Not much happens but the differences between the riders of the two lands are explained…in part. Important information is contained in this chapter.**

Skiadem felt a tendril of thought from the dragon worm its way into his mind as he ran his newly marked palm down its back. Its mind pressed a single word against him. _Hungry._

He looked up at the others and smiled. "It's hungry."

Fereno chuckled. _Dax, go get the hatchling some meat. Something small, like a rabbit, please._

_Anything for you, rider. Shall I get you some fruit as well? Or maybe a salad from the gardeners? What about Dan? Is he hungry too?_

Fereno smiled at Dax's antics. _Just go, you whiner. You're the hatchling's mentor now._

_It's like having kids almost…great. _He jumped off the ground and flew out into the plains.

Swinging his attention back to the new rider, Fereno motioned the elf to follow him. Fereno led him to a rocky area near the edge of the forest and they took a seat opposite each other. "Well, since I'm going to be your teacher, I'd like to have a few things answered. First you must name it. Is it a male or a female?'

"Female," he replied quickly.

Fereno grinned. "Good for you. Now, let us think of a name." Fereno began to spout off random names and Skiadem turned his attention inward, searching for the one that would fit his new partner best. After refusing every single idea of his master, he spoke up.

"Her name is Ilethia."

The voice of Dax came to them. _A good name for a gold dragon._

Skiadem grunted. "I'm glad you approve."

Daxxon came gliding towards them and landed in a gust of wind, laying the body of two small rabbits before the hatchling. _Eat up young one._

The gold dragon attacked the rabbits voraciously, tearing apart the meat from the bone with great efficiency. Once she had devoured them both, she gave a soft squeak and curled up on Skiadem's lap.

Fereno rubbed his hands together. "Well, it seems your dragon is satisfied, so let's move on to dragon lore. First off is their colors. A dragon's color is one of the most defining aspects of their personality. There are many different colors, but I won't give you all of them. For now I want you to memorize the ones I'm going to tell you. For starters there's gold, like Ilethia. Gold represents wisdom and compassion. A good match for you, for sure. Next you have green, like Daxxon."

The dragon bowed his head. _Green represents bravery and grace. A green dragon is quick to fight, but will only engage if he feels that he can win. We aren't mindless fighters either, we gauge the enemies' weaknesses and attack accordingly. Besides gold and green, there is also silver, white, red, black, and blue, to name the most common ones. Silver dragons are very truthful and insightful. White is for strength and usually dragons of this color are very protective and make great mates. Red dragons are above all adventurous. They love to travel and are very fast. Black dragons are known for their overwhelming size, though their size belies their gentleness unless they are threatened. Lastly are the beautiful blue dragons. They represent intelligence and compassion. That about covers the basic traits of each color._ The dragon flopped down on his paws and lay down on the rocks. _If you ever want to know more about any specific color, ask either myself or Master Vorand._

Fereno chuckled. "You got all that?" Skiadem nodded. "Good. Now we shall move on to the riders. You saw the mark on your palm right? Well that is called the Gedwey Ignasia. Below it you'll see another symbol, on your wrist. This is something unique to our lands. It identifies the rider's characteristics. So far, I've only heard of four different symbols. Yours is called the Sukro. The Sukro means that the rider is a creative person first and foremost, finding obscure ways out of the most difficult situations and very adept with his fingers. Then there is the Tenna. It shows that the rider is strong in magic and can devise the most incredible new spells. Next is the Veskri. It represents wisdom and knowledge. Then last there is the Kurré." He slid his sleeve up slightly to reveal a silvery mark on his wrist. "This one shows that the rider is determined and adventurous. Which, of course, I am.

"Okay, on to the least favorite part of any student's lesson. Rules." Skiadem groaned. "Don't worry, there aren't many. Mainly, you must refer to either Dax or Myself as Master in this tongue or Ilkena in Runic. But there is one more, you must not try anything on your own until I have given you permission to do so? Am I understood?" The elf boy nodded and Fereno smiled. "Good, then let's go on to some basics on taking care of your dragon."

Fereno spent hours listing off different ways to care for a growing dragonet, from feeding it to bathing it. "You have to always keep your mind connected with it until it begins to fly. It helps build trust and a strong bond. She should start to actually talk to you within a few days. Just keep talking to her and she will eventually respond. When she begins to fly, she will also learn to hunt and you must allow her to do this. She will learn the basics of dragon behavior from Dax when she begins to talk, so don't worry about that." He continued to teach, moving from dragon care to rider history. "Now, I'm not an expert in this subject but I know that it has been over fifty years since a dragon rider besides Master Kírinare has walked this land as one of us. His name was…Gralid, I believe…no, that was his dragon…Darem! That's it. Darem's dragon was black and was called Gralid. Before him was…" He went on, struggling with each name more than the last. He finally finished as the sun was nearing the horizon.

Noticing the fading light, he said, "Well, that's it for today. We need to head back and see if Dan's finished with Master Kírinare."

They returned to the elder elf's dwelling place and found that Dan was indeed finished with his lesson. Fereno dismissed Skiadem and told him to stand over with Dan. The rider strode over to Kírinare and waved the elder elf over to speak to him privately. Lowering his voice to a whisper Fereno spoke. "Master, Dax discovered something disturbing while he was hunting. He saw another dragon rider flying out across the southern tip of the forest, heading for Gunto. I fear for their safety…"

Kírinare furrowed his brow. "I shall send word to them through Vorand. They will welcome the assistance of a dragon. After you rest, I will be sending you as well, if the battle is not won by then."

Fereno nodded solemnly and returned to his dragon, joining the other two already on his back. Once the elf climbed to his seat, Dax took off, winging his way over the forest toward their house. When they arrived, Dan and Skiadem departed into separate rooms while Dax curled around his rider on the small dais upon which they slept. Fereno sighed and lay back against his dragon's foreleg. _Are you ready for what may come tomorrow?_

Dax rested his head down beside his rider's and looked him over with one large emerald orb. _Let tomorrow take care of itself, I've got a feeling we won't be fighting the rider I saw today for a while. Sleep, my friend. We need to be rested. _They relinquished their minds to the dark hold of slumber.

As they awoke the next morning, Fereno felt a small pressure upon his mind. From that pressure emanated the voice of his teacher, Kírinare. _Fereno! Come quick! Vorand is in trouble! I can't do anything…he's hurt. Please, help me Fereno._

The pressure faded and without stopping to wake the other tow, Fereno scrambled to his dragon's back and the green beast launched into the air, straining his body to its limits. Quicker than ever before, they landed before the small hut belonging to his teacher. The elf was sitting on the ground by the tree with his arms wrapped around his leg. Tears dripped from his eyes as he looked up at them. "He told me that he was on his way back, then suddenly….pain…crashing…VORAND!!!"

Fereno urged Dax to get back into the air, pointing in the direction of the elven city of Gunto. _We must hurry, I fear that Master Vorand may be short for this world._

Dax pushed himself beyond his limits, the muscles within his wings screaming in agony but still he pressed on. Approaching a large cleared out area Fereno extended the reach of his mind and brushed against the ancient mind of the silver dragon. _Down there! Hurry! _Dax dove sharply and flared his wings just above the ground, allowing Fereno to leap off and land in a somersault as the dragon lowered himself the final distance to the ground. Hostility sat heavy in the air around the forest and Fereno carefully took a step forward, scanning the tree line for anything. Movement caught his attention from behind his dragon and he backflipped over Dax, snatching the second sword from its resting place. The sword slid smoothly from its scabbard as he continued his fluid maneuver, landing gracefully as a blue blade whistled through the air towards his head. Fereno wrenched his own shadowy green blade from its housing on his back to clash with the strike. Sparks flew as the blades came together, only to separate moments later. Fereno studied his opponent carefully as the male elf stepped into a ready pose with a sneer across his features.

"Come back to finish the helpless dragon, have you? Well he's not so helpless anymore!" The elf snarled in rage and threw himself at Fereno in another attack, whirling his brilliant blue blade around above his head to bring it slashing down once again at Fereno's head. This time, Fereno sidestepped slightly and spun the white blade up to deflect the attack, bringing his green sword up to smash the pommel into the elf's face. The blow sent him sprawling onto his back and Fereno crossed his two blades at the elf's throat. The sneer remained. "Fine, go ahead and kill me. But I don't envy what my dragon will do to you."

Fereno lifted his blades. "Dragon? You're a rider?"

"Yeah, so what?"

"I can not kill another rider. I have come on request of my Master, Kírinare, to help his dragon. I mean him no harm." Fereno sheathed his green sword and replaced the white blade upon the saddle. "Do you know where he is?"

The elf nodded warily. "I do. Follow me." He dashed into the forest with Fereno running right behind him. They came upon a mangled portion of the underbrush and Fereno's sharp eyesight picked out the glimmer of the silver dragon's scales just ahead of them. Picking his pace up, he passed the elf leading him and slid to a complete stop inside the grove, his mouth dropping open in shock as to what he encountered. An elf maid with midnight black hair was crouched beside the humongous silver dragon with another male elf next to her, holding a hand to her shoulder. He recognized the maid immediately, having spent four years training with her. "Kirea?! What are you doing here?"

She looked up from Vorand and smiled softly at the sight of her old friend. "FERE!" She ran over and embraced the surprised rider. "Oh it's so nice to see you! I have so much to tell you! Oh but first you have to meet Eragon and Saphira!" With the mention of the names, the elf that had confronted Fereno earlier stepped from the other side of Vorand with a blonde elf maid beside him.

Fereno bowed to the elves. "Greetings Eragon and Saphira. I am Fereno, Rider of the green dragon Daxxon. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Eragon repeated the bow. "Well met Fereno. I am Eragon Shadeslayer, Rider of the blue dragon Saphira Brightscales." Saphira giggled at the confused expression that appeared on Fereno's face when Eragon stated that Saphira was his dragon. "We'll explain later." Eragon turned to the elf behind Kirea. "Remare, is he all fixed up?"

Fereno's jaw dropped again. "REMARE?! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!" the exasperated Rider roared.

Kirea put a hand on his arm. "We'll explain later, but Vorand needs to go back to Master Kírinare. The old elf is still probably worried out of his mind." Vorand nodded his thanks, never being one to talk much, and leapt through the gap in the trees obviously created by the silver dragon's fall.

As Vorand flew out of sight, Kirea began to walk back to the clearing. The others quickly caught up to her when she began to speak. "Well, now that we got that taken care of we can explain something to you. While Remare and I were traveling, we happened upon Alagaesia and Eragon here. To make a long story short, we talked to an old friend of Vorand's and he shared with that there is more to being a rider than just sharing thoughts. You can actually change into the other species!" They stepped into the clearing a few moments later and Remare strode out to the center, keeping a fair bit of distance between himself and Dax.

"Watch." Remare's frame began to grow, his tunic disappearing as scales took its place and his hair stiffening into horns atop his head. Fingers stretched into talons while His face lengthened into a snout. Spikes curved dangerously down his spine and as the transformation completed, the sun began to glint off of his astonishingly bright white scales.

Fereno was speechless and he felt that Dax was as well. He could not keep himself from indulging in a curse as he looked on. "What the fuck…?"

**Well now it is officially a fanfic. There, you happy? Chapter five could be a while, more to revise and details needed to change, considering that I needed to kill off a character to get Eragon in. lol, poor girl…oh well she's dead now. I should probably get some sleep, so that's all I got.**

**Laters!**


	5. Chapter 5: Dragon Speaker

**Ah, finally updated. sorry for the wait, got caught up in finishing Light in the Darkness. Now that that's out of the way, hopefully i can get back to my routine of updating all of my different series at least once a week, though this one may be difficult. so much to change, so little time. well, i'm wide awake yet again when i should be sleeping, and i'm having a grand old time, so here's the last thing i do before crashing. Enjoy! R&R!**

Kirea giggled at Fereno's confusion. "We met some spirits…"

Beside Eragon, Saphira morphed into a blue dragon, showing her true form.

Eragon quickly leapt to her back and waited for Kirea to mount Remare as well. Kirea smiled back down at the befuddled rider. "Where's Dax? I can't wait to see him."

It was Fere's turn to smile and he called out with his mind, _Dax! Where are you?_

In response to his question, the green dragon appeared in the air above them, dropping quickly, but gracefully to the ground. Kirea jumped from her dragon's neck to land on Dax's, smiling wide as she wrapped her arms around the dragon's neck. "DAX! It's good to see you too!" Remare turned to Dax and gave a nod, the two dragon's exchanging a greeting.

Fere jumped up to the back of his dragon and dropped into the junction between his shoulders just behind Kirea. She turned her head and smiled at him, motioning for Rem to take off.

Fere grinned to himself. It was nice to see Kirea again; she was a really good friend. Dax followed behind Remare and Saphira took flight behind him. As they flew back to the home of Kírinare, Fere saw the elf maid in front of him sigh and stare at her dragon, watching the white scaled creature with a loving gaze. He felt the need for an explanation, for he did not understand her actions. He tapped her on the shoulder and she turned to him with a soft smile.

"Yes?" her voice was quiet, making her sound like the little girl that Fere remembered her as.

The rider voiced his confusion. "Is there something between you and Rem? I mean, besides the fact that he's your dragon, do you have feelings for him too?"

Her smile widened, but her voice remained quiet and gentle. "Yeah, ever since being Released, we've fallen in love with each other." At the strange expression that Fere gave her at that statement, she let out a dragon like growl. "You wouldn't understand, you and Dax aren't like that. Eragon and Saphira are the same way too. They love each other as well. It's something that you wouldn't get."

Fere resigned himself to this being true, feeling his and his dragon's loneliness once more ebb forward into his mind and heart. He realized that he had been in love with Kirea before she left, but now he was too late. A dejected sigh escaped him and he patted his dragon on the shoulder. _Maybe someday we'll find someone. Both of us. I know there has to be another female rider and dragon pair out there somewhere…_

Dax bobbed his head. _I sense that your words are correct, though when and if we meet them will depend on fate._

Kirea returned to staring at her dragon until they arrived at Kírinare's dwelling. The three riders dismounted and went to the building, then spotted the elder elf over underneath the tree with his dragon. Fere led the three over and Kírinare let a grin come over his face when he saw the two foremost riders. "Fere, Kirea, thank you both. Vorand told me of what happened, and I want to express my gratitude." He bowed before them. "It's good to have you back Kirea. And I hear that you have discovered the hidden potential of Riders."

She nodded, her own smile reappearing on her face. "Yes, as have my friends Eragon and Saphira." she waved Eragon forward and the elf bowed to the elder rider.

"I was told to bring Glaedr's greetings to you, since he can no longer travel." Eragon's expression soured slightly, fresh pain bubbling up within him from the death of his former mentor. "Oromis has…died…Glaedr lives on as an Eldunarí. He told us of being Released and how we could achieve it."

Kírinare frowned, a tear finding its way down his cheek. "That is…something I expected. A while ago I felt something alter within my heart, as if something disappeared." He wiped the tear away. "He was…a good friend. I will miss him sorely."

Eragon nodded, finding himself reaching out towards Saphira for comfort. The blue dragon strode over to him and he let a smile cross his features, stretching out his marked palm to gently stroke his dragon's scales.

The other two dragons followed her over and the four riders stood around in a circle, silent until another pair appeared at the edge of the trees.

Dan and Skiadem walked over to Fere, the young elf holding Ilethia in his arms. Skiadem, always friendly towards new faces, plastered one of his warmest smiles on his face and looked over at the two others. Eragon put his hands behind his head and chuckled.

"Hello there. What are your names?" Eragon gave a nod towards the young ones.

Skiadem scratched his head as he responded. "My name's Skiadem, and my dragon is Ilethia. Nice to meet you!"

Dan was a bit more hesitant. He glanced at a smiling Fere and reluctantly gave his name. "I'm Danmír, Fereno's brother, but call me Dan."

Eragon nodded again. "Well met Dan, Skiadem. I am Eragon, Rider of Saphira." Saphira stepped forward and examined both boys with her eyes and mind. She first looked at Skiadem. _Ilethia is a lucky dragon, you will be an excellent rider._ She then swung her gaze to Dan. Her eyes shot open wide, and she froze. _Who are you?_

Dan took a step back, confused at her words. "What do you mean? I'm Fere's brother. What are you talking about?"

She turned to Fereno, eyes still wide in shock. _Your brother is not a rider, correct?_

Fere nodded slowly, puzzled by the question. "No, he is not…why do you ask?"

She growled slightly, swinging her stare back to the young boy. _Then please tell me why he is bonded to Daxxon?_

Fere whipped his head around and glared at his dragon. "WHAT?! Is she right?"

Dax offered no objection, trying to defend himself. _What, he was just there, in my head. Like you._

That thought stuck in Fere's head. _Like me…_

Kírinare ran his hand across his dragon's leg. "Well, this is something I feared may happen. He is gifted, more so than I originally anticipated. It appears that he is a Dragon Speaker, one who can share a bond with another Rider's dragon without being a Rider himself. A Dragon Speaker hasn't been born in decades, it surprises me that another has come to light at this time."

Dan looked in shock at the elder elf. "Are you joking. Me? A Dragon Speaker? I mean, it makes sense, but really? Wow."

Fere transferred his glare to his younger brother. "Dan, you knew about this? Why didn't you tell me?"

Dan shrugged. "Dax IS your dragon, I thought you knew."

Kirea playfully elbowed Fere in the ribs. "He's got ya there, Dax is your dragon." She giggled and leaned back against Remare's brilliant white scales.

Fere sighed, exasperated. "Gah, will everyone just get off my back. Alright, I should've known, it's my fault I'm lost here. Okay? You happy?"

Dax snorted, the hot air ruffling Fere's hair. _Yes, now introduce your brother to Kirea and Rem, they are anxious._

Fere nodded, taking Dan by the shoulders and guiding him over to stand in front of the white dragon and his Rider. "Well, Rem, Kirea, this is my brother, Dan. Dan, these are my good friends, Kirea and her dragon Remare."

Kirea stepped forward and extended her hand in greeting. "I finally get to meet you, he's told me so much about you."

"It's good to meet you too, I guess." Dan took the proffered hand and shook it. He then turned to Remare and put a hand on the dragon's shoulder. _Your name is Remare, right?_

Remare bobbed his head pleasantly. _Yes young one. I have heard a lot from Fere about you. You are a good lad, I like you. _

Eragon moved closer to Saphira and leaned heavily on her, yawning a bit as he looked at the position of the sun. It was nearing mid-afternoon, and he hadn't slept in over a day. Fere noticed this and walked over to him. "Eragon, are you okay? You look exhausted."

"Yeah, I'm a bit tired. We've been traveling a lot and haven't slept much." Eragon patted his dragon's neck affectionately.

Fere grinned, and put a hand on the elf's shoulder. "Let Dax show you back to our home, you can rest there. It was built for more than one Rider as it is; there's a lot of empty space."

The Rider managed a weak smile, before morphing into a dragon to follow Dax. _Thank you, Fereno. Lead the way, Daxxon._

Dax leapt into the air, closely followed by the two other dragons, taking them back in the direction of the house nestled in the trees roots.

Fere watched them fly out of sight before turning back to his student, Skiadem. "Don't think that you're off the hook for today, I still have a lesson for you. Follow me."

**Yet more surprises, this will come into play here soon.....i hope....it shouldn't get out of hand again, though there are a few minor things i need to work out with myself on future events. they will soon fall into place though and all will be right with the world. well, my mind is mush right now, so that's all i got.**

**Laters!**


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